The present invention relates to a cable banding machine for automatically banding into the form of a bundle a plurality of various objects, particularly linear bodies such as cables, wires and the like, with use of plastic-made strap-type banding elements capable of being double-folded and being self-lockable. With this machine, bundling of for example cables can be worked simply through a single triggering operation to be made of an operation lever of the machine.
For purposes of for example orderly grouping a number of cables or cords run in various directions in electrical appliances and securing open spaces for disposing parts therein or for facilitating assembly operations at safety, there have already been developed and put into practical uses a variety of band-type banding elements or devices made of a synthetic resin such as nylon in particular. Generally, the known banding devices comprise an annular socket part and a band or belt part continuously extended from the socket part. On one side face, the belt part is formed with a series of teeth resembling saw-teeth in section, and the socket part is provided in the opening thereof with a rockable claw member having at least one teeth also resembling a saw-tooth in section.
In use of the element, the belt part wound in a loop form about a group of objects to be bundled is applied into the socket part, and banding with the element is made through a locking engagement between the teeth on the belt part and the tooth or teeth on the claw member in the socket part. These banding elements have the advantage that depending on the length of their belt part, they can bundle a wide range of the number of objects or linear bodies to be bundled.
Inconveniently, however, banding with the elements requires to be manually operated to apply the belt part about the group of objects to be bundled, insert the leading end or free end of the belt part through the socket, and then tighten the belt part to a desired tension condition by a banding machine, followed by cutting away an excess length portion of the belt part. These required manual operations are highly troublesome and are to be automated, desirably.
Also, in actuality the number of linear objects to be banded into a unitary group arrangement is not widely varied and in practice a large length portion of the belt part is cut away as an excess portion and simply discarded as waste. Obviously this is disadvantageous, but it is indispensable that the element has an excess length portion, which is necessary for operating the insertion of the belt part into the socket part and operating the banding machine, even though it is to be discarded as above. Normally, the length of the excess portion in reference is so great as to be 50 to 80% of the length of the element, and this means a great disadvantage economically.
There have also been proposed such strap-type banding elements which comprise a belt- or sheet-like device made of a synthetic resin and having mutually locking members, for example engageable male and female members, at ends thereof and a bending or folding part at the center of the length thereof, and which in use is double-folded with cables or the like held between the double-folded segments thereof. However, these banding elements have not widely been utilized, inconveniently due to the fact that there has not yet been developed an element dispensing machine which is simple in structure and easy to operate and can fasten the elements.